Bottle-washer.



PATENTED 00T; 18, 1904.

A. c. FORD-ann. T.M0SBLBY. i

BOTTLE WASHER.

APPLIoA'rIon FILED JUNI: 11. 1904.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

` N0 MODEL.

IZZTMase/ey,

UNITED STATES y Patented October 18, 1904.

PATENT OFFICE.

AMBROsE- O. FORD AND RANDOLPH T/MOsELEY, OF OLIFTONFORGE, viRGiNiA. t .y

p BOTTLE-WASHER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of' Letters Patent No. 772,796, dated October18, 1904. I

i Application filed Jnne 11,1994.

` reciprocating frame carrying cups or receptacles for holding thecleaning medium, such as shot, support the bottles to be washed. Thebottles are placed in the frame mouth downward on the cups and the framereversed, which movement automatically clamps the bottles in place andturns them to an upright position, the shot in the cups falling bygravity into the bottles. The same movement of the frame also bringsintoposition on each side of the bottles groups of-sponges or other cleaningmedia, which wash-the exterior of the bottles at the same time theinterior is being cleaned.,l Water for .washing is carried through oneof the pivots of the reciprocating frame, which latter is made hollow,and from thence by means of small tubes or nozzles to the interior ofthe bottles and through iexible tubes to the Sponges.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 represents a frontelevation ofour `improved bottle-washing machine in position to receive the bottlesto be washed, a portion of the machine being broken away and parts beingshown in sections. Fig. 2 is a similar view showing the washingmechanism in reversed vparts in the several figures.

A indicates a fixed portion of the machine- Serial No. 212,220. (Nomodel' lsuch as a table, shelf, or other support-to the upper surface ofwhich and ateach side thereof are fixed two uprights or standards A' A2,each standard having a bearing@ at its top. Beneath' the table A, ateach side of the machine,is secured a slide-bearing o, through whichbearings two guide-rods BB are A'adapted to reciprocate in a verticaldirection. The guide-rods B B are connected by a crossbrace from which arod C extends downwardly below the table and is there attached rings bb2 near the upper' ends of the guiderods B B. Through the hollow pivotewater for washing the bottlesv is conducted to the tubes forming theframe E, and from thence itis distributed, as hereinafter described. Toone of the horizontal tubes E vof the frame E is secured al series ofcups or receptacles F,

' conicalin form, their bases being attached to the frame E, while theirsmaller ends, extending toward the pivotal center of the reciprocatingframe, are provided with collars f, each collar opening into its cup Fand so shaped as to closely fit the mouth of a bottle when the latter isplaced therein. Extending upwardly through each cup orreceptacle F to apoint near the collar f is a small tube or nozzle f', the same being'connected to the frame-tube E.- Within each 4receptacle F is placed aquantity of shot, which when the reciprocating frame'holding the bottlesto be washedis E, which bar Gcarries spring-actuated padsy or blocks g,arranged to bear on the bottoms of the bottles and press their mouthsinto close contact with the collars f. In order to support the bottomsof the bottles until the spring'- bar G engages them, a horizontalbottle-rack G, having socketed ends, is mounted on the reciprocatingframe E. The position of the bottle-rack G on the frame E may be changedwhen necessary to accommodate it to dierent sizes of bottles. Thischange is readily effected by loosening the screw-bolts g7, moving thebottle-rack to the position desired, and again tightening the bolts. lthas been found that by placing the rack G about one-quarter of an inchfrom the bottoms of the` bottles successful results are obtained.

Secured to each guide-rod B and B is a curved or cam-shaped guide H.rlhe inner surface of each curved guide H has its upper part eccentricto and its lower part concentric with the pivotal axis of thereciprocating frame E. As thus formed the bar G, the ends of whichstraddle the sides of the frame Eand bear against the cam-shapedsurfaces of the guides H, is caused to move toward the bottles as thereciprocating frame E is turned on its pivots until said bottles arefirmly clamped between the cups F and the spring pads or blocks g. Thehorizontal bar G will by this time have reached the concentric portionof the guides H, so that further movement of the rectangular frame maybe made without affecting the position of the bar G. Hooks or otherconnections g2 are used to attach the bar G to the cams H. It may be attimes desirable to change the cams H for those of a different size orcontour. To enable this to be quickly done, the cams are attached to therods B' B' by means of posts its, passing therethrough and secured bynuts LG. (See Fig. 8.) The tubular frame E is held in reversed positionby means of a latch V on the vertical rod C, as may be seen by referenceto Fig. 9.

The operation of the machine thus far described is as follows: A bottlebeing placed on each cup or receptacle F, withits mouth downward, asclearly shown in Figs. l and 3, the

l reciprocating frame is turned on its axis to the position indicated inFigs. 2 and 4C. This movement will cause the bar Gr to clamp the bottlesin place and bring them into an upright position, with the cups orreceptacles in reversed position over the mouths of the bottles, shotand water during the movement ra iiexible tube Z2.

interior of the bottles, which are thoroughly rinsed, the waterescaping' into the cups Fand out through the waste-pipe and l'lexibletube with which all the cups are connected. Sufficient water, however,remains in the cups to wash the next set of bottles. At the same timethe interiors of the bottles are washed their exteriors are alsocleansed by means now to be described.

Pivoted in the bearing u of each standard A' is a lever K, to theforward end of each of which is fastened one end of a lmrizontallyplacedsemicylindrical sponge-box L, closed at its bottom and open at its top.In the axis of the sponge-box L is a perforated tube on which. arethreaded a number of sponges M or their equivalent, shaped as shown inFigs. 5 and 6-that is to say, their ends beveled or of frusto-coniealshape. rlhe sponges M are of such length that when placed with theirproximate faces touching, the beveled surfaces ofadjacent sponges willbe opposite a bottle. The perforated tube Z is supplied with water fromthe rectangular frame E through The standards A2 have pivoted theretolevers K', to which are attached a sponge-box L/, similar to that at Land containing a perforated tube Z, carrying sponges M. From the leversK, at their pivotal points, short arms K: project at right angles, whicharms are connected to the levers K by connecting-bars K2, thearrangement being such that the movement of the levers K to and from thebottles will canse a corresponding movement of the levers K'.- 'lheperforated tube Z in the sen'licylimlrical sponge-box L' receives waterthrough a iiexible tube Z3.

The sponges M M are normally held out of operative position by means ofthe reciprocating frame E, which presses against the semicylindrical boxL; but when said frame E is reversed by turning it in the directionindicated by the arrow in Fig. 3 the spongeboxes tend to approach thebottles as soon as the reciprocating frame passes from the sponge-box L,owing to the weight f on the rear end of the lever K. A too rapid orsudden movement of the-sponge-boxes is prevented by a projecting arm Non the spongebox L, which remains in contact with the reciprocatingframe throughout its movement. W hen the reciprocating frame reaches itsreversed position, the sponges M and M will surround the bottles, (seeFigs. 2, et, and 7.) and as they are reciprocated their outer surfaceswill be thoroughly cleaned, the sponges being stationary during thecleaning operation and supplied with water through the iiexible tubes Z23.

0 C) are troughs or gutters attached to the sponge-boxes L L', intowhich the waste and dirty water collects and which is carried 'away byflexible tubes l) ly.

On the conclusion of the washing operation the reciprocating frame isreversed and, combe made.

1. In a bottle-washing machine, the combi-y nation of a lixed support,vertically-movable guide-rods, a reciprocating frame pivoted on saidmovable guide-rods and adapted to be inverted, cups for holding acleaning medium,'

means for supporting bottles to be washedon the mouths of said cups, asliding bar mounted on said reciprocating frameand cams fixed to theguide-rods for operating said sliding bar to clamp the bottles inposition when the reciprocating frame is, inverted.

2. In a bottle-washing machine, the combination of a lixed support,vertically-movable guide rods, a tubular reciprocating framehorizontally pivoted on said guide-rods, cups attached to said tubularframe forholding the mouths of bottles to be washed and containing' thecleaning' medium, a rest for the bases of the bottles, a bar adapted toslide on said frame and clamp the bottl'eswhen said frame is inverted,and means for operating said sliding bar.

3. In a bottle-washing machine, verticallymovable guide-rods, a tubularframe pivoted on said rods and adapted to be inverted, cu-ps on saidtubular frame for holding the mouths of bottles and containing thecleaning medium, a rest for the bottoms of the bottles, means forclamping the bottles while said tubular'frame is being inverted, andmeans for supplying water to said cups. y

4. In a bottle-washing machine, the combination of a fixed support,vertically-movable guiderods, and means for reciprocating them,

a tubular frame, pivots on said tubular frame journaled in saidguide-rods one of. said pivots beinghollow, cups attached to saidtubular frame, means for supporting the bottles on said cup, tubes ornozzles connected t'o said tubular frame extending into the said cups,

means for introducing water to the said tubu-V Vthe bottles have been`6. i In a bottle-washing machine, the combi-l nation with a pivotedreciprocating frame, le vers K, K/ pivoted to fixed standards andoperatively connected together, means for hold- Y ing bottles in saidreciprocating' frame.sponge boxes containing sponges attached to saidlevers, and means controlled by saidv pivoted reciprocating frame forclosing the sponges around the bottles when said reciprocating frame isturned. i

7. In a bottle-washing machine, the combination with a pivoted tubularreciprocating frame, levers K, K pivoted to -fixedstandards andoperatively connected together, means for holding bottles in saidreciprocating' frame, sponge-boxes attached to said levers, a perforatedpipe extending longitudinally of -each sponge-box, sponges on saidperforated pipes and iexible tubes connecting the tubular reciprocatingframe with' the perforated pipes.

8. In a bottle-washing machine, the combination with a pivoted tubularreciprocating frame, levers K, K( pivoted to fixed standards 'andoperatively connected together, means for holding bottles in saidreciprocating frame, sponge-boxes attached to sald levers, a perforatedpipe extending longitudinally of each sponge-box, sponges on saidperforated pipes, flexible tubes connecting the tubular reciprocatingframe with the perforated pipes` and similar tubes connected to thesponge-boxes for carrying away the waste water.

9. In a bottle-washing machine, the combination of a fixed support,vertically-movable guide-rods and means for reciprocating said rods, apivoted tubular frame, c ups attached to said tubular frame for holdingcleaning media, means for holding bottles on saidcups, nozzles connectedto the tubular frame and passing into said cups, a clamping-bar slidablymounted on said tubular frame, cams fixed to the guide-rods foroperating said clam ping-bar when the tubular frame is turned, levers K,K pivoted to fixed standards and operatively connected together,sponge-boxes on said levers,

perforated pipes in said sponge-boxes, sponges on said perforated pipes,fiexible tubes for conducting water to saidperforated tubes, and similartubes for carrying away waste water from said cups and sponge-boxes.

IOO

10. In a bottle-washin g machine, the combif i nation with a main frame,of an oscillatory frame mounted thereon, means carried by said l framefor holding the bottles, means for introducing auxiliary cleaning mediuminto the bottles,cleaning devices adapted to be moved into and out ofcontactwith the outer surfaces of the bottles, and means forreciprocating the bottles while in contact with the exterior-v cleaningdevices. Y ll. In a bottle-washing' machine, the combination with a mainframe, and a reclprocatory frame mounted thereon, of an oscillatory4frame embodying means for holding the'bottles, means for introducingwater and auxiliary cleaning medium into the bottles, clean-y ingdevices adapted to operate on the outside of the bottles,lever-controlled mechanism associated with the outside-cleaning devicesand controlled by the movement of the oscillatory frame, and means forimparting movement to the reciprocatory frame.

l2. In a bottle-Washing machine, a reciprocating frame adapted tobeinverted, means on said frame for clamping bottles to be Washed, andmeans for Washing the exterior of bottles moved into operative positionwhen the said reciprocating frame is inverted.

13. In a bottle-Washing machine, a reciproeating frame adapted to beinverted, means on said frame for supporting bottles to be washed, adevice for Washing the exterior of bottles brought into operativeposition when said reciprocating frame is inverted, and means forsupplying Water to said device.

14. In a bottle-washing machine, a reciprocating frame adapted to beinverted, means on said frame Jfor supporting bottles to be washed,means for introducing cleaning media into the interior of the bottles,and means for cleaning' the evteriorotl said bottles moved in operativeposition when the reciprocating frame is inverted.

In testimony whereof We ailix our signatures in presence of twoWitnesses.

AMBROSE (l. FORD. RANDOLPH T. MOSELEY.

Witnesses:

B. V. W. BooTi-i, J. F. MANN.

